In school, we usually learn how to communicate with active
stakeholders. However, companies should not neglect their dormant stakeholders
either. As an online retail business, it is common to have inactive members on
our website. However, we should not just leave them be. Instead, we should try
to engage in two-way communication with them, and try to persuade them to be
more active on the website.
We learnt about the many different stakeholders in school,
but we never really focused on dormant publics. One day, my superiors told me
that she wanted to send a newsletter to members who are inactive on our
website, and being inexperienced in this field, I could only research on the
internet to look for effective ways to do so.
One of the most common tips given was to not send them the
same message that you would send to regular members. This would turn them off
immediately, and most of them wouldn't even care about the newsletter.
As they are members who we have not interacted with
for a long period of time, I felt that it was important to know how why they
were inactive, and what would make them come back to our website. At the same
time, it wouldn't exactly be the most feasible idea to just shove a survey in
their face and expect them to do it without any returns.
Therefore, I suggested to my colleagues that we should ask
just a few simple but effective questions, and offer them incentives in order
to encourage them to come back to shop at our website. By doing these, it would
show that we care about them, and are willing to listen to them so that we can
improve on our website. After all, we are a consumer-based business, and we
should always be able to adapt quickly to our consumers’ needs.
That being said, I'm still nervous about the turnout. Would
it be good, or would it fail miserably? Or would my colleagues not use the idea
at all? I can only wait and find out. Well, this is all from me for today! See
you again when I write my next post!
Tay Si Min Priscilla
15909891
Curtin University (Singapore Campus)
15909891
Curtin University (Singapore Campus)
2 comments:
Hi Priscilla,
This is an interesting post that got me thinking what I can do to help my company. My company face lots of window shoppers and many of our staffs feedback that the customers are not familiar with the brands, which is why they did not purchase our products. I guess most of your company's inactive members lack of knowledge of the products that you guys carry. The ways to get them interested is to let them have a feel of the products. However, due to the fact that it is an online shop, they are unsure if the product suits them or the size fits them, you can probably work on the exchange policy. This idea comes from frequent visit of online shops.
Your suggestion is feasible, it creates more interaction with the customers. Provide all the materials for them and they will not reject your idea! Hope you succeed! All the best!
Hi Priscilla,
I think one of the reason of the inactive members is because they are lacking of emotional attachment to the company where they are hardly to relate themselves to the companies.
I agree with you that research is really an important stage to find out what are they inactive and how can we do to gain back their interest to the company.
I think after the research, you will be able to find out a solution and implement your PR strategies to win them back to your company!
Good luck to you and I am looking forward to see the result!
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